Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and an appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan.
- John Neligan
- Date:
- 1849
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and an appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
101/504
![ginger, 9ij. ; mix ;' thirty-six grains contain one gr. of elaterium.) Dose, gr. v. to gr. x.—Tinctura Elaterii, (Elaterium, gr. viij. ; rec- tified spirit, fgviij.; dissolve.) Dose, f3ss. to f3ij.—Solutio Elaterina, morries Stirling. (Elaterin, gr. j. ; rectified spirit, f§i. ; nitric acid, min. iv. ; dissolve.) Dose, min. xxx. or min. xl. In poisoning with elaterium, the same treatment should be followed as in poisoning with gamboge. Euphorbia Lathyris.—Caper-spurge. An indigenous biennial, belonging to the Natural family Euphorbiacece, and to the Linnaean class and order Monoecia Monandria. It is not officinal in any of the British Pharmacopoeias, but an oil obtained from the seeds has been introduced into the Paris Codex, as a cheap and efficient substitute for croton oil; it is obtained by simple pressure from the ripe seeds, 44 parts of oil being obtained from 100 parts of the seeds. It is very fluid, of a clear yellow colour, with an acrid taste and a peculiar odour. It is soluble in ether, but insoluble in alcohol. Calderinl, an Italian physician, has used it extensively ; he says that its effect is certain and prompt; and that it may be considered as a mild cathartic, not producing either vomiting, colic or tenesmus. It is adapted for all cases, in which it is desirable to purge gently but effectually, and with a small dose of medicine. This oil is worthy of more observation than has been hitherto bestowed on it, as being likely to afford an excellent indigenous cathartic. The dose is from min. iv. to min. viij., it may be administered in syrup. When applied externally, it possesses rubefacient properties similar to those of* croton oil. Helleborus, [U. S.] L. E. Helleborus niger, radix, D. Root of Helleborus niger ; Black Hellebore, or Christmas-rose, D. E. Root of Helleborus officinalis, Oriental or Officinal Hellebore, L. The black hellebore, the Melampodium of the ancients, a native of the middle and southern parts of Europe, belongs to the Natural family Ranunculacea, and to the Linneaean class and order Polyandria Poly- gyria. -Botanical Characters.—Herbaceous; Leaves all radical, pedatisect; Scape leafless, one lo two flowered; Flowers large, white. Preparation.—The root should be dug up in February, after the plant is done flowering, and dried quickly. Physical Properties.—As met with in the shops the root consists of two parts, a black root-stock, and numerous undivided fibres or rad- icals which arise from it; the latter are the active part and should only be used. They are cylindrical, about the thickness of a crow- quill, brownish-black externally, whitish within, brittle ; they have a faint unpleasant odour, and a somewhat acrid, bitter taste, but the acridity is much lost by drying. Chemical Properties.—Black hellebore root contains a volatile oil, an acrid volatile acid, and other unimportant substances. Both water and alcohol extract its active properties, which probably depend on the volatile acid. Adulterations.—Various other roots are substituted for, or intermix- ed with, black hellebore root on the continent; but in consequence of](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21143602_0101.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
